The United States is threatening nations who oppose Monsanto’s genetically modified (GM) crops with military-style trade wars, according to information obtained and released by the organization WikiLeaks.

Nations like France, which have moved to ban one of Monsanto’s GM corn varieties, were requested to be ‘penalized’ by the United States for opposing Monsanto and genetically modified foods.

The information reveals just how deep Monsanto’s roots have penetrated key positions within the United States government, with the cables reporting that many U.S. diplomats work directly for Monsanto.

The WikiLeaks cable reveals that in late 2007, the United States ambassador to France and business partner to George W. Bush, Craig Stapleton, requested that the European Union along with particular nations that did not support GMO crops be penalized. Stapleton, who co-owned the Dallas/Fort Worth-based Texas Rangers baseball team with Bush in the 1990s, stated:

Country team Paris recommends that we calibrate a target retaliation list that causes some pain across the EU since this is a collective responsibility, but that also focuses in part on the worst culprits. The list should be measured rather than vicious and must be sustainable over the long term, since we should not expect an early victory. Moving to retaliation will make clear that the current path has real costs to EU interests and could help strengthen European pro-biotech voices.

Amazingly, this is not an isolated case. In similar newly released cables, United States diplomats are found to have pushed GMO crops as a strategic government and commercial imperative.

Furthermore, the U.S. specifically targeted advisers to the Pope, due to the fact that many Catholic bishops and figureheads have openly denounced GMO crops. In fact, the Vatican has openly declared Monsanto’s GMO crops as a ‘new form of slavery’.

‘A Martino deputy told us recently that the cardinal had co-operated with embassy Vatican on biotech over the past two years in part to compensate for his vocal disapproval of the Iraq war and its aftermath – to keep relations with the USG [US government] smooth. According to our source, Martino no longer feels the need to take this approach,’ says the cable.

Perhaps the most shocking piece of information exposed by the cables is the fact that these U.S. diplomats are actually working directly for biotech corporations like Monsanto.

The cables also highlight the relationship between the U.S. and Spain in their conquest to persuade other nations to allow for the expansion of GMO crops. Not only did the Spanish government secretly correspond with the U.S. government on the subject, but the U.S. government actually knew beforehand how Spain would vote before the Spanish biotech commission reported their decision regarding GMO crops.

The cable states:

‘In response to recent urgent requests by [Spanish rural affairs ministry] state secretary Josep Puxeu and Monsanto, post requests renewed US government support of Spain’s science-based agricultural biotechnology position through high-level US government intervention.’

Monsanto has undoubtedly infiltrated the United States government in order to push their health-endangering agenda, and this has been known long before the release of these WikiLeaks cables. The U.S. is the only place where Monsanto’s synthetic hormone Posilac is still used in roughly 1/3 of all cows, with 27 nations banning the substance over legitimate health concerns. Despite Monsanto’s best attempts at incognito political corruption, nothing can stop the grassroots anti-Monsanto movement that is taking over cities and nations alike.

U.S. Embassy Cable

Viewing cable 07PARIS4723, FRANCE AND THE WTO AG BIOTECH CASE

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin07PARIS4723 2007-12-14 16:04 2010-12-19 12:12 CONFIDENTIAL Embassy ParisVZCZCXRO2245PP RUEHAG RUEHROVDE RUEHFR #4723/01 3481623ZNY CCCCC ZZHP 141623Z DEC 07FM AMEMBASSY PARISTO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1495RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITYRHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC PRIORITYINFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVERUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 2786 C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 004723

¶1. (C) Summary: Mission Paris recommends that that the USG reinforceour negotiating position with the EU on agricultural biotechnology bypublishing a retaliation list when the extend "Reasonable TimePeriod" expires. In our view, Europe is moving backwards notforwards on this issue with France playing a leading role, along withAustria, Italy and even the Commission. In France, the "Grenelle"environment process is being implemented to circumvent science-baseddecisions in favor of an assessment of the "common interest."Combined with the precautionary principle, this is a precedent withimplications far beyond MON-810 BT corn cultivation. Moving toretaliation will make clear that the current path has real costs toEU interests and could help strengthen European pro-biotech voices.In fact, the pro-biotech side in France -- including within the farmunion -- have told us retaliation is the only way to begin to beginto turn this issue in France. End Summary.

¶2. (C) This is not just a bilateral concern. France will play aleading role in renewed European consideration of the acceptance ofagricultural biotechnology and its approach toward environmentalregulation more generally. France expects to lead EU member stateson this issue during the Slovene presidency beginning in January andthrough its own Presidency in the second half of the year. Ourcontacts have made clear that they will seek to expand Frenchnational policy to a EU-wide level and they believe that they are inthe vanguard of European public opinion in turning back GMO's. Theyhave noted that the member states have been unwilling to support theCommission on sanctioning Austria's illegal national ban. The GOFsees the ten year review of the Commission's authorization of MON 810as a key opportunity and a review of the EFSA process to take intoaccount societal preferences as another (reftels).

¶3. (C) One of the key outcomes of the "Grenelle" was the decision tosuspend MON 810 cultivation in France. Just as damaging is the GOF'sapparent recommitment to the "precautionary principle." Sarkozypublicly rejected a recommendation of the Attali Commission (toreview France's competitiveness) to move away from this principle,which was added to the French constitution under Chirac.

¶4. (C) France's new "High Authority" on agricultural biotech isdesigned to roll back established science-based decision making. Therecently formed authority is divided into two colleges, a scientificcollege and a second group including civil society and socialscientists to assess the "common interest" of France. Theauthority's first task is to review MON 810. In the meantime,however, the draft biotech law submitted to the National Assembly andthe Senate for urgent consideration, could make any biotech plantingimpossible in practical terms. The law would make farmers and seedcompanies legally liable for pollen drift and sets the stage forinordinately large cropping distances. The publication of a registryidentifying cultivation of GMOs at the parcel level may be the mostsignificant measure given the propensity for activists to destroy GMOcrops in the field.

¶5. (C) Both the GOF and the Commission have suggested that theirrespective actions should not alarm us since they are onlycultivation rather than import bans. We see the cultivation ban as afirst step, at least by anti-GMO advocates, who will move next to banor further restrict imports. (The environment minister's top aidetold us that people have a right not to buy meat raised on biotechfeed, even though she acknowledged there was no possible scientificbasis for a feed based distinction.) Further, we should not beprepared to cede on cultivation because of our considerable plantingseed business in Europe and because farmers, once they have hadexperience with biotech, become its staunchest supporters.

¶6. Country team Paris recommends that we calibrate a targetretaliation list that causes some pain across the EU since this is acollective responsibility, but that also focuses in part on theworst culprits. The list should be measured rather than vicious andmust be sustainable over the long term, since we should not expect anearly victory.

¶7. (C) President Sarkozy noted in his address in Washington to theJoint Session of Congress that France and the United States are"allies but not aligned." Our cooperation with France on a range ofissues should continue alongside our engagement with France and theEU on ag biotech (and the next generation of environmental relatedtrade concerns.) We can manage both at the same time and should notlet one set of priorities detract from the other.

Hungary has taken a bold stand against biotech giant Monsanto and genetic modification by destroying 1000 acres of maize found to have been grown with genetically modified seeds, according to Hungary deputy state secretary of the Ministry of Rural Development Lajos Bognar. Unlike many European Union countries, Hungary is a nation where genetically modified (GM) seeds are banned. In a similar stance against GM ingredients, Peru has also passed a 10 year ban on GM foods.

Planetsave reports:Almost 1000 acres of maize found to have been ground with genetically modified seeds have been destroyed throughout Hungary, deputy state secretary of the Ministry of Rural Development Lajos Bognar said. The GMO maize has been ploughed under, said Lajos Bognar, but pollen has not spread from the maize, he added.

Unlike several EU members, GMO seeds are banned in Hungary. The checks will continue despite the fact that seek traders are obliged to make sure that their products are GMO free, Bognar said.

During the invesigation, controllers have found Pioneer Monsanto products among the seeds planted.

The free movement of goods within the EU means that authorities will not investigate how the seeds arrived in Hungary, but they will check where the goods can be found, Bognar said.

Regional public radio reported that the two biggest international seed producing companies are affected in the matter and GMO seeds could have been sown on up to the thousands of hectares in the country. Most of the local farmers have complained since they just discovered they were using GMO seeds.

With season already under way, it is too late to sow new seeds, so this year’s harvest has been lost.

And to make things even worse for the farmers, the company that distributed the seeds in Baranya county is under liquidation.

Therefore, if any compensation is paid by the international seed producers, the money will be paid primarily to that company’s creditors, rather than the farmers.